How to re-write your body image story

Do you have a body image ‘story’ – something you tell yourself about your body?

It might go something like this…

“I’ve always been the ‘chubby’ one in my family. I’ll never have the happiness or success of my ‘thinner’ siblings.”

All of us create stories around our lives – it’s what helps us to make sense of them.

Now while some stories will serve you, others can stop you from living a full and meaningful life.

So if you’re stuck in a story about your body that doesn’t make you feel good, it’s time to re-write it.

You don’t have to be defined by things you’ve been told or led to believe throughout your life.

It’s YOUR life, and you get to decide how it unfolds…

In today’s post, I’m sharing a five step process to help you re-write your body image story and step into the life that you want and DESERVE!

Watch or read below:

What’s your story?

We all have inner stories which help or hinder us, particularly when it comes to the way we relate to our bodies.

Growing up being teased about your appearance (like I was), for example, can create the story that you are unattractive or unacceptable and not worthy of love or attention.

Stories are a perfectly natural and normal way for us to make sense of our experiences – they have been used for thousands of years.

How is your story limiting you?

BUT, issues occur when you get trapped in story that holds you back.

Stories develop when thoughts and beliefs about your life experiences enter your mind at an unconscious level.

Once your body image story has a firm hold over you, you’ll live it out in your day to day life. For example, if you believe you’re an ‘ugly’ person that isn’t deserving of love that will be your experience.

But you are more than your body image story. You aren’t what has happened in the past or what other people have said about you. You can always re-write the story based on how you want to live.

Re-writing your story

So if you’re stuck in a body image story that isn’t serving you, here are five steps that you can take to re-write your story:

Firstly, acknowledge what your body image story is. What’s the overriding story that you keep telling yourself about your body? For example, “I’m ugly and undeserving of love.”

Secondly, decide if that story works for you. Does believing this story help you have the life, relationships or career that you want? For example, believing that you are undeserving of love because of your looks certainly won’t help you find a relationship.

Thirdly, take responsibility for holding onto the story. Although things happen around you, and are said to you, you get to decide whether you allow these things to impact you. Know that you can take responsibility for what stories you allow into your mind.

Fourthly, decide what you’d like your new story to be. What story about your body would help you live a happier more fulfilling life? You might decide, for example, that your body is an instrument for living the best life possible, not an ornament.

Finally, decide what changes you need to make to re-write your story. To live out your new story, what changes do you need to make to your behaviour? Who do you need to surround yourself with? What support do you need to ask for?

I’d love to hear how you are re-writing your body image story so you can enjoy a fuller, more satisfying life. Please leave a comment below.

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Judi is a body confidence coach for women. She helps women accept and respect their bodies so that they can live happier, healthier and more fulfilling lives. Judi empowers women to change the way they think and feel about their bodies through 1:1 coaching and body confidence workshops.